Update Request Confirmation Email Change

Caroline Sheldon

Hi Community,

As many of you know, Smartsheet has always sent a confirmation email anytime someone responds to an update or approval request. Based on customer feedback, we have made the confirmation optional. Each respondent can now opt in to the confirmation by checking the box at the bottom of the request form.

This change will help reduce the number of emails from Smartsheet and applies to automated approval requests, automated update requests, and manual update requests.

Thank you to everyone who chimed in on Community or sent enhancement requests. As the product owner for forms and requests, I read everything you write, and it helps my team prioritize our projects. Keep that feedback coming!

Best,

Caroline

Kaily Serralta

Thank you for making this change! It's a lot easier to "sell" the use of the tool and invest in the process.

Garan Keeler

Awesome, thank you for listening to our feedback!

Sam Fox

Thank you so much for making this change!

Bassam Khalil

Thank for making this change and for listening to our feedback

@CollabMeganPMP

Does the person responding to the update request need to have a Smartsheet account in order for their responses to be sent to them via e-mail? Or does this work for any email address that an update request is sent to? We have been seeing the issue happen where those that do not have Smartsheet accounts are not receiving their update request responses after the update request is submitted whereas those that do have Smartsheet accounts are receiving the copy of their responses.

Caroline Sheldon

The person responding to the update request does not have to have a Smartsheet account. They need to have the update request sent to their email from Smartsheet or forwarded to them.

@CollabMeganPMP

So when Send me a Copy of my Responses is checked and the update request form is submitted, Smartsheet sends the responses to the e-mail address that the update request was originally sent to? I would guess in the case of a forwarded e-mail, the copy of the responses would not go to the person who was forwarded the e-mail, but rather the e-mail address that initially received the update request?

Caroline Sheldon

Ah I see your question now. Yes, Smartsheet does send the confirmation to the person the Update Request was originally sent to. That's the address we have on file and it isn't converted to the person you forwarded the request to.

@CollabMeganPMP

Thanks. One clarifying question....regardless if, for instance, Jane Doe does not have a Smartsheet account, but we allow update requests to be sent to any e-mail address, when she receives the update request and chooses to receive a copy of the response she is submitting, the responses should be automatically sent to her email address by Smartsheet even though she does not have an account?

Caroline Sheldon

Yes, if Jane Doe was the original recipient of the update request, even if she doesn't have a Smartsheet account, she will still receive the invitation and the confirmation. People do not need a Smartsheet account to receive or fill out the update request. It does get a little tricky when you forward it because it's still associated in our system with the original recipient. Yes, the person you forwarded it to can certainly fill it out and complete it, but the request is still associated with that original email because that's the one we have in our system and because we don't require login / an account to fill it out we can't re-associate it with a new person it may have been forwarded to. Does that help?

@CollabMeganPMP

Yes. We are seeing, though, people that are in our organization without Smartsheet accounts, getting Update Requests. When they complete the Update Request and elect to receive a copy of their responses, they are not getting the confirmation e-mail. We are NOT seeing this issue with people that have Smartsheet accounts.

Ella

@Caroline S. is there a way to make the confirmation e-mail a required field on the form?

Andrée Starå

Hi @Ella

I hope you're well and safe!

Does the user have to be logged in to Smartsheet to access the sheet?

Unfortunately, it's not possible at the moment, but it's an excellent idea!

Please submit an Enhancement Request when you have a moment.

As a possible workaround, you could remove the option, add another so-called helper column, set it as required, and use an automated workflow alert to send them the submission copy.

Would that work/help?

I hope that helps!

Be safe and have a fantastic day!

Best,

Andrée Starå | Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

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Ella

@Andrée Starå Hi! I hope all is well!

The users will not be logged into Smartsheet. They will be completing a form, a copy of which we would like to make sure gets e-mailed to them for a confirmation of submission.

The workaround is not the best option as their e-mails will all be personal and outside of our organization, but I appreciate the suggestion.

Thanks for your help!

Caroline Sheldon

Hi @Ella

Unfortunately there isn't currently a way to make the 'Send me a copy' checkbox required. However, you can use something we call query string parameters to the end of your form link to automatically check that box. Please submit an enhancement request for what you would like to see with 'Send me a copy' and I can use this to prioritize features. 

Here is a help article about query string parameters, and it essentially allows you to control the fields in the form using the URL link. 

If you add ECA=%20 to the end of the form URL. Then you use that URL to send to your users. Here's an example: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/3914601098484df4ac0141b40e2cfe56?ECA=%20

This automatically checks the box "Send me a copy" and shows the email box. The only thing is it is not required, so your user could uncheck it. You can edit the text in that email copy to whatever you want, including a hyperlink. 

The other option is to send an automated alert after the form submission. 

1. Add a contact field to your form and ask your users to enter their email. 
2. In the sheet, Click on Automations tab
3. Set up a new automated alert
4. When new rows are added
5. send to contacts in a cell
6. pick the contact cell where you asked the users for their email 
7. Click on the three dots for advanced options 
8. Then select which fields you want to be shown on the email they receive.